


The President's Interview

by vivvav



Series: The Amamiya Investigation (Formerly The Kurusu Investigation) [1]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen, The AFR Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-28 20:53:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10839240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vivvav/pseuds/vivvav
Summary: Makoto wasn't going to let the criminal transfer student distract her from her studies. But after seeing him act suspiciously firsthand, she decides that maybe the Student Council President should take a more vested interest in the newest, most infamous member of the student body. It's time to sit down and have a chat with Ren Amamiya.





	The President's Interview

Makoto Niijima sat at her usual table in the library of Shujin Academy. Classes had ended for the day, but she wasn’t planning on heading home anytime soon. It’s not like her sister would be waiting on her, and she had easy access to all kinds of reference materials here at the school. A lot of students seemed to use the Internet to study these days, but Makoto found it lacking for academic purposes. There was too much noise, too much information floating around that wasn’t creditable. Plus she felt like she absorbed the information better when it was in front of her physically. In addition, Makoto just enjoyed studying in the library. There was life there. Nothing too distracting, but other students studying and even some of the whispers and murmurs just gave the room energy. It was far preferable to her quiet, empty home. She never indulged in any of the gossip going around, of course. For her purposes, it was basically white noise.

Until it suddenly stopped. Makoto lost her place on the page of the history textbook she was reading. All of the sound had disappeared from the library. No murmurs, no pencils dragging across paper writing notes, not even the sound of pages turning. She very discretely looked up from her textbook to see if something had happened. All the students were frozen in fear, all focused on one point. Or rather, away from one point. Everybody seemed to be averting their gaze from something right behind Makoto. She felt a presence standing behind her. It just lingered for a moment, so she looked back down at her textbook. Then she heard footsteps maneuver around her. She came to see the object of everybody’s attention in her peripheral vision as it slowly came to stand at the other side of her table. It was a person, obviously. Makoto couldn’t tell since she was focused on her studies, but they seemed to be looking right at her.

“Excuse me,” a boy’s voice said, “is this seat taken?”

“Help yourself”, Makoto answered. It was rare that anybody wanted to sit at the same table as her. Other students tended to give her a wide berth when she was studying, and she didn’t have a problem with that. The figure sat down and, from the sounds of pencil on paper, appeared to simply do his homework. He wasn’t bothering Makoto, so she was fine with his presence. All the tension in the room seemed to break as well, and the sounds of hushed voices and students attending to their work resumed. Naturally, Makoto tuned it all out. Until…

“…right next to Niijima-Senpai of all people!”

The sound of her name caused Makoto to stop reading and instead actually listen to what was going on around her. Her sight was still focused on the page, but her hearing was the sense gathering information right now.

“She must have some brass balls to just keep acting like nothing’s happening.”

_“How vulgar,”_ Makoto thought. _“What on earth are they talking about?”_

“I bet she doesn’t know.”

_“Doesn’t know what?”_

“I just hope he doesn’t try to do anything to her. I hear he carries a knife on him!”

_“A knife!? Who has a knife!?”_

“I bet he hangs around after school and waits for girls to go home alone, then follows them and tries stuff!”

_“That’s disgusting! Who are they talking about? This boy sitting across from me?”_

“Does he seriously expect us to believe he’s just studying? A delinquent like that’s gotta be up to something.”

_“Delinquent? Wait, are they talking about THAT student?”_

Before Makoto could look up to get a proper view of the boy who sat across from her, he stood up, grabbed his things, and stormed out of the library. The only feature Makoto was able to make out was a scowling mouth, the teeth gritted in anger.

“I knew it!”

“Totally! There was no way a thug like that could keep up that ‘diligent student’ act for long!”

“I can’t believe they let that criminal transfer here! This is supposed to be a classy school, isn’t it!?”

So, that was it. Apparently, Makoto had just had a brush with Ren Amamiya, the infamous criminal second-year transfer student. She was well aware that the school had allowed a person of such disreputable character into its halls, but she hadn’t let it worry her. Principal Kobayakawa must have had some reason for it. Still, given the disturbance his presence caused in the library, not to mention the strange way he just up and left after spending two minutes at most in there, Makoto couldn’t help but wonder if she should look into the matter herself. After all, she was President of the Student Council. Shouldn’t she know more about a potential threat to the students?

Makoto knew what she had to do. She had to launch an investigation into Ren Amamiya. She spent the next few days wandering the school’s halls, keeping her ears open for any gossip about the boy. It wasn’t hard to come by. Apparently, he’d shown up late to his first day of school. He had also taken to spending his free time with Shujin’s other resident troublemaker, Ryuji Sakamoto. And he was having some kind of fight with the gym teacher Kamoshida. Come to think of it, Kamoshida hadn’t been seen since those bizarre calling cards had been posted all over the school’s bulletin boards. He was out sick, which she doubted was something the Amamiya boy was capable of. But those cards…

The longer Makoto’s fact-finding mission continued, the more uncertain things became. There were so many different rumors flying around regarding Ren Amamiya that he’d have to be in jail if even half of them were true. Clearly the only way Makoto was going to get this sorted out was to get her information straight from the horse’s mouth. It was time for a meeting.

* * *

 

Ren had no idea why he was being called to the Student Council meeting room of all places. All he knew was that when he entered classroom 2D that morning, his homeroom teacher, the ever-disinterested Ms. Kawakami, informed him that his presence had been requested there after classes. As if he didn’t have enough on his mind. He was still on edge waiting to see if this whole “change of heart” thing with Kamoshida was gonna work or if that cat was just blowing smoke up his ass. Ren didn’t want to go, but it didn’t seem like he had a choice either. He just hoped he hadn’t gotten on some other corrupt authority figure’s bad side.

Ren found the student council room pretty easily. It was right next to the library after all. And as much as he wanted to, he wasn’t forgetting where that was anytime soon. He was just there a few days ago. All he’d wanted was to get his homework done in an environment that didn’t smell like coffee and curry for a change. Instead he just got more of that slander that had quickly become a constant of his school life. Didn’t these mindless sheep have anything else to bleat about? Having increasingly-terrible crap made up about you on a daily basis started to get to a guy after a while.

But that wasn’t why he was here. Actually, he didn’t know why he was here. So might as well get it over with. He knocked on the door. A girl’s voice responded immediately.

“Come in.”

Ren stepped into the room. There were all kinds of files and boxes neatly arranged around the place, and a big table with a few chairs taking up most of the room’s space. Standing at the head of the table was a girl with short brown hair, a third year from the looks of things.

“You are Ren Amamiya?” She spoke with confidence, a stern, inquisitive quality to her voice. There was a polite smile on her face, but the atmosphere in the room was anything but inviting. This girl was giving off some kind of tension, the kind Ren hadn’t felt since his hearing when he was convicted of assault. This girl was making his heart race, and not in the good way. Under normal circumstances, he may find her kind of pretty. But right now, he felt like he’d just walked into the lion’s den.

It was imperative that Ren showed no fear. Whatever this girl wanted, it couldn’t be good, and showing any signs of weakness probably wouldn’t make him look good in whatever was about to happen. He didn’t trust his voice not to betray his nervousness immediately, so he answered with a simple nod, trying to keep his face free of all emotions.

“Do you know who I am?”

Ren had no idea how somebody could speak so plainly and yet convey so much intensity at the same time. It occurred to him that he probably wasn’t going to be able to get through whatever this was with head shakes and hand gestures. He had to give himself some kind of control in this exchange.

“No. Should I?”

“My name…” Her expression didn’t change. At all. Ren hoped his dismissive response would put some tiny crack in her visage. Annoyance, fear, uncertainty, any hint of weakness, just something to show she was human. Instead, it just seemed to strengthen her resolve. “…is Makoto Niijima. I am the President of the Student Council here at Shujin Academy.” She gave a slight bow. “Thank you for coming to see me, Amamiya-Kun.”

God damn it. How was it that Kamoshida, this buff Olympian who towered over Ren, didn’t intimidate him at all, but this schoolgirl who was a good head shorter made him feel like a cornered rat? Just the way she said _“_ Kun _”_ at the end of his name there told him everything about the balance of power in this room. He returned her bow, trying very hard not to lower his head any more than she had, not really sure if he was succeeding.

“Why am I here, Niijima-Senpai?”

_“Senpai?”_ He hadn’t planned on saying that. It just came out automatically. Ren really didn’t like how this girl was making him feel like an inferior with her mere presence.

“Please, have a seat.” Makoto gestured to the chair at the corner of the table, right next to the table’s head where she stood. Ren sat down at the opposite end of the table by the door instead. Maintaining the same calm, faux-pleasant expression, the girl made her way over to a chair right next to him and sat down in it. He had successfully gotten her to give up ground.

And yet, now that she was right next to him, he couldn’t help but feel like he was still losing whatever this battle was. It was then that he noticed the three objects she had laid out before her. The first two were a notebook and pencil. The third was a file with Ren's name on it, but it didn’t seem like an official file belonging to the school. She opened the file and looked at what appeared to be a copy of his student records. Did the Student Council President really have access to such things?

“You’ve been living in Tokyo for about two weeks now, is that correct, Amamiya-Kun?”

“Yes.”

“And how are you adjusting?” Makoto looked back up at him. “I understand this is your first time living in a large city. Has it been a difficult transition?”

“It was, at first.” Ren only just now realized how stiff he was. He was sitting completely upright, his legs together, his hands firmly planted on his knees. He tried to rest his arms on the table but it just felt incredibly unnatural, so he quickly returned them to his legs. “It took some time to get used to the subway and the large crowds of people. I found myself getting lost a lot at first, even with the help of a map. It’s still a little overwhelming, but I feel like I’m beginning to get accustomed to it.”

“I see.” Makoto picked up her pencil and started writing down something in her notebook. “And how is your living situation? You are currently housed in Yongen-Jaya? How is Sojiro Sakura treating you?”

“Boss and I haven’t hit it off yet.”

“‘Boss'? Is that what you call him? Not ‘Sakura-San’?”

“We’re not really comfortable using each other’s names. It’s just ‘Boss’ and ‘Kid’, mostly. Or ‘Boss’ and ‘Punk’, when he’s in a bad mood. Sometimes ‘Boss’ and ‘Idiot’. I wouldn’t say we’ve exactly bonded.”

“Interesting.” Makoto was still for a moment before scrawling something else in her notebook. Ren could’ve sworn for half a second he saw some kind of real emotion in her eyes. Surprise, maybe? It had gone by too quickly for him to identify it. “And do you see yourself bonding with him anytime in the near future?”

“I have no idea. Our living arrangement isn’t what you’d consider ‘orthodox’. I don’t even have a proper bedroom.”

“What do you mean by that?” Makoto got that look in her eyes again. Ren was able to get a better view of it. It was… concern? “Amamiya-Kun, are you being abused?”

“No!” The shock of that question actually got Ren to loosen up a bit. He laughed nervously and managed to put his elbows on the table in earnest this time, holding his head in his hands. “Oh, wow, I made that sound really bad, didn’t I?”

“So, what did you mean when you said you don’t have a ‘proper bedroom’?”

“I don’t live in Sojiro’s house. I guess he doesn’t want a felon around all his stuff or something. I live in the attic of LeBlanc.”

“LeBlanc?” Makoto’s brow furrowed. She had heard that name before. Sae had mentioned a coffee house of the same name to her not too long ago. “Amamiya-Kun, are you telling me that you live in a cafe?”

“In the attic, yes. It’s not that bad, actually. It’s very spacious. Decently-furnished too. I’ve got a bed, a desk, a couch, even a bookshelf.”

“And do you feel that your needs are being taken care of?”

“Well, ‘caring’ is a stretch, but Boss is a good person underneath the grumpiness.” Ren had a genuine smile for the first time since stepping in the room. “He’s usually there when I wake up in the morning, treats me to some coffee and curry. Doesn’t bug me so long as I stay out of trouble. He even let me keep this stray cat I found.”

“You have a cat?” Makoto began exerting that pressure again, writing down more in the notebook. Ren found himself tensing up.

“Yeah, I- Um…” Ren's smile quickly died. Now that he’d had a moment’s reprieve from sheer terror, it was beginning to dawn on him just how weird this situation was. “What’s going on here, exactly?”

“What do you mean, Amamiya-Kun? We’re having a conversation.”

“Yeah, but… Why?” Ren looked at Makoto suspiciously. “Are you really a student here?”

“Pardon me?”

“You’re asking me all these questions about my home life and if I’m being abused and stuff. Are you like, a secret secondary probation officer? Are you some young-looking government agent who’s been assigned to watch over the guy watching me or something?

“I can assure you I am no such thing, Amamiya-Kun.” Makoto looked him directly in the eye with that intimidating stare of hers. “I am exactly what I appear to be.”

“You’re _really_ just the Student Council President?”

“Do you take issue with that?” A spark of anger appeared in Makoto’s eyes. Ren thought that any emotion from her would be easier to handle than this robotic tone she’d maintained for most of the conversation. Oh, how naïve he had been. This was much worse. “Do you think I’m unqualified to be in this position because I’m a woman?”

“Not at all, Niijima-Senpai.” There it was again. She was scaring respect out of him. It was at this moment that Ren wondered if it was possible to have a heart attack at the age of seventeen. “It just seems odd for a Student Council President to be asking all of these questions. If you’re not a secret cop, why am I here?”

“Very well, I’ll dispense with the pleasantries.”

It took all of Ren's willpower not to laugh. _This_ was her being pleasant?

Makoto glared at him, the spark of anger previously in her eyes now a veritable bonfire of rage.

_“Ok God, I know you haven’t been in my corner lately, but if you’re out there I could really use your help getting through this.”_

“Ren Amamiya, here are the facts: You are a convicted criminal being allowed to attend this school as part of your probation. Since your first day here— for which might I add you arrived late— you have been seen associating with some disreputable individuals, exhibiting suspicious behaviors, and become the subject of much discussion amongst your peers.”

“So what, you’re interrogating me?”

“I prefer to think of it as ‘interviewing’.”

“Uh-huh…” At that point, Ren's capacity to feel fear became exhausted. Now he was just angry. “I wasn’t aware that the Student Council President had the power to just summon people at her whim for an ‘interview’.”

“My job is to represent the interests of the student body. If I have reason to believe that your presence at Shujin Academy poses a threat to the other students, it is my sworn duty to inform the administration of my concerns.”

“Is this a threat!? Are you telling me if I don’t go through your interrogation, you’ll have me expelled!?”

“You are free to leave at any time you desire. I am not holding you against your will.” Makoto paused for a moment, closing her eyes. When she opened them, they were back to that robotic stare, but Ren could still feel some anger hiding underneath. “That said, I would prefer it if you complied, Amamiya-Kun.”

“Fine.” Ren leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “Let’s just get this over with.”

“Thank you.” Makoto turned a page in her file. All Ren could see were handwritten notes. “Let’s begin at the start. You were half a day late for your first day of school. Why was that?”

“A combination of getting lost and train delays.”

“And you just happened to show up at the same time as Ryuji Sakamoto that day?”

“Coincidence. I ran into him, recognized the school’s uniform, and he helped me find my way here. It was my first time meeting the guy.”

“And why was he late?”

“I didn’t ask.”

“And yet you seem to have hit things off with him.”

“What? I’m not allowed to have friends?”

“Are you aware that your friend is a known troublemaker with a history of violence whose academic performance is barely sufficient to keep him enrolled in this school?”

“He’s a human being!” Ren stood up, raising his voice. “Or did you overlook that detail when extensively researching us for your case file!?” Makoto was unfazed, and kept writing.

“Please calm yourself, Amamiya-Kun. I was simply asking you a question.”

“Right. Questions…” Ren took a deep breath and slowly sat back down. “How many more are there?”

“I’ll let you know when we’re done.”

“Fine, be that way.” Ren rolled his eyes. “What else do you want to know?”

“I’d like to ask you about an incident that occurred in the school library earlier this week.”

“What incident?”

“On Tuesday, after classes, you sat down in the school library to do some homework. You barely got started before standing up and storming out angrily. Why was that?”

“How do you know about that?”

“I was there, Amamiya-Kun.”

“You were?” Ren scratched his head. His eyes widened and he grinned. “Oh! Were you that girl with the mountain of books next to her?”

“I don’t know if I would describe it as a ‘mountain’…” 

_“Wait, he’s making the conversation about you! Focus, Makoto!”_

“But yes. I am regularly at the library if I am not attending to my Student Council duties. I hope you can understand why I would find such erratic behavior concerning.”

“Is that what this is about? You saw me bug out in the library and decided to give me the third degree?”

“Answer the question, Amamiya-Kun. Why did you leave the library so quickly after entering it?”

“I can’t believe I thought you were a cop.” Ren let out a slight chuckle. “Your observational skills are terrible.”

“Excuse me?”

“Well, I guess anybody with that many books _would_ be focused on her studies. Look, it’s simple…” Ren's mood became somber, and he leaned forward, speaking in a low, serious voice. “I left the library because everybody was talking about me. I couldn’t focus on my work.”

“So you left because of all the rumors being whispered. I see. That would explain why you seemed so upset.”

“Gee, you think?”

“Amamiya-Kun, your sarcasm is not-“ Makoto cut herself off. She was ready to chew the boy out, but then she saw his face. It was morose. He looked like a kicked puppy. In that moment, she just didn’t have it in her to yell at him. “Do you hear these rumors often?”

“All the time.” Ren leaned over, propping up his head with his elbow on the table. “I hear the things people say about me. The stories. Each one more outrageous than the last. ‘The transfer student built a bomb at his old school’. ‘The transfer student tore a street sign out of the ground and went on a rampage with it’. They’re beginning to sound like something out of a cartoon. I try to ignore it, but sometimes it just becomes too much. I thought the library would be quiet, but you saw how that went.”

“I’m sorry.”

“What for? It’s not like you’re the one spreading them.”

“I’d like to talk to you about these rumors.” Makoto pulled out a sheet of paper from her file. “I’m aware that you were officially convicted for assault, but there are a number of other crimes that the students here believe you to be guilty of. I would like to run through a list of these accusations so you could tell me if any of them are true.”

“Do we have to?”

“You may give simple yes or no answers. It will be over quickly, I promise.”

“Fine.”

“Amamiya-Kun, have you ever stabbed a person with a knife or other bladed weapon?”

“No.”

“Thank you.” Makoto make a mark on her list. Ren was guessing she had check boxes for yes and no. “Do you own a knife or other bladed weapon?”

“There are kitchen knives at LeBlanc, but I don’t own them, and I’ve never removed them from the store.”

“How about a gun? Do you own or have you ever assaulted somebody with a firearm?”

“No and no.”

“How about a lead pipe, baseball bat, or other blunt object?”

“No.”

“Have you ever threatened another student at Shujin Academy?”

“No.”

“Have you ever attacked another student at Shujin Academy?”

“No.”

“Have you ever stolen from another student?”

“No.”

“How about the teachers?”

“No.”

“Really? Not even…” Makoto pulled something red out of her file and slid it over to Ren. It was one of the calling cards Ryuji made so they could steal Kamoshida’s treasure. “Suguru Kamoshida?”

“No.”

“There are rumors stating that you’ve had some confrontations with Mr. Kamoshida. Is there any truth to that?”

“We’ve had some disagreements, but I’ve done nothing criminal.”

“What were those disagreements about?”

“You should ask him yourself.”

“I can’t. He’s been ill for several days now.”

“Are you going to blame me for that too?”

“Of course not. That would be ridiculous.”

“Why stop now?”

“Amamiya-Kun, I am just trying to do my due diligence.”

“Not you. I mean this.” Ren held up the card. “Well, I mean, you a little, but mostly this. ’Phantom Thieves of Hearts’? What the hell does ‘stealing a heart’ mean? Is it literal? If there’s some kid at this school selling organs on the black market, he’s the one you should be interrogating.”

“So you’re telling me you didn’t make this card?”

“No, Niijima-Senpai, I did not make the card.”

“Do you know who did?”

“Do I _know_? No. If I had to guess, it’s some dumb prank. Just look at the evil little face under the top hat. It’s like something an elementary schooler would come up with.”

_“Sorry, Ryuji.”_ Ren actually liked the illustration. _“I have to maintain my cover.”_

“Very well. Let’s move on.” Makoto went back to her list. “Have you ever robbed a convenience store?”

“No.”

“Have you ever robbed an ATM?”

“No.”

“Have you ever robbed-“

“Let me save you some time.” Ren started counting off rumors on his fingers. “I’ve never robbed a church. I’ve never mugged an old lady or anybody else. I’ve never tortured or killed an animal. I’ve never burned down a building or committed any other form of property damage. I’ve never stolen a vehicle, I do not partake in or deal drugs, I am not in a street gang, I do not fence stolen goods, I am not a chain-smoking alcoholic, and I really shouldn’t have to say this one — I am not in the yakuza.” Ren held forward his hands, which had all ten fingers raised. “Do you need me to keep going, or should I take off my shoes?”

“Just a few more, I promise.” Makoto rapidly checked off a bunch of items on her list, and took a moment to write something in her notebook. “Amamiya-Kun, have you ever stalked anybody?”

“No.”

“Have you ever taken inappropriate pictures of girls?”

“No.”

“Have you ever-”

“I’ve never groped anybody either. Is that it?” Ren put his face in his hands. Hearing his entire fictional rap sheet was starting to exhaust him. Every single one of those lies made him want to scream. “Please tell me that’s it.”

“One more. Ren Amamiya…” Makoto sighed as she looked at the last item on the list. She was sure it wasn’t true, but she’d already come this far, so she might as well wrap it up. “Have you ever raped anybody?”

Ren took his face out of his hands. He was mortified. He opened his mouth to say something, but no sounds came out. He slowly stood up, walked over to the corner of the room, and leaned forward against the wall, propping himself up with one arm. From the way the other arm was positioned, Makoto guessed that his hand was over his eyes. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think he was about to cry.

Ren violently threw his arms down and stormed back to the table. He dropped down into his chair without any grace.

“‘Have I ever-’” He started taking deep slow breaths, rubbing his temples with his fingers. For a second, it seemed like he was about to regain his composure, but his breathing quickly became more rapid, soon transforming into full-on hyperventilation.

“Amamiya-Kun!” Makoto’s imposing aura dissipated in an instant. The whole point of this interview was to get an idea of who the “delinquent” transfer student really was. Makoto figured he was some disrespectful punk with contempt for authority, and more than once in their conversation she had that suspicion validated. But this… She wasn’t prepared for this. “Amamiya-Kun, are you alright!?”

Still hyperventilating, Ren shook his head violently.

“Amamiya-Kun, you have to calm down!” Makoto grabbed his hand. “You need to slow down your breathing! Like this!” Makoto started breathing quickly, matching Ren's hyperventilation, and then slowed down slightly to demonstrate what he should do. Ren watched her, and it took him a moment, but he managed to slow his breathing to her pace. Makoto kept holding his hand and maintained eye contact with him, gradually slowing the rate of her breath, and Ren kept making efforts to match her. It took a minute, but soon enough Ren was down to deep, slow, controlled breaths. When he seemed to fully calm down, Makoto let go of his hand.

“Amamiya-Kun, I’m-“

“No.”

“What?”

“Your question. Have I ever-“ Ren shook his head. “No. That’s the answer.”

“I see… Thank you.” Makoto crossed off the final item on the list. 

“How can people say those things? I never did anything to any of them! It’s like they want me to be some kind of monster! Why!?”

Ren looked at Makoto, his eyes pleading. She realized it wasn’t a rhetorical question. She was about to answer how people get carried away in the drama of rumors and it causes them to act irresponsibly, but then she looked down at her list. Was she any better? Here she was having just driven somebody younger than her into a mental breakdown because of her own curiosity. She didn’t feel like she had a right to answer. She just shook her head sadly.

The two sat silently for a minute. Makoto couldn’t even look at Ren, and now she was the one feeling tense. She hoped if she just continued as if nothing had happened, this would all be over soon. She looked at the next item in her file, a list of people he’d been seen associating with. “So, next, I’d like to talk about-“

“Can I go?”

“As I have previously told you, you may leave whenever you-“

“Niijima-Senpai, please. Can I go?” Makoto forced herself to look up at Ren. It was a pitiful display. There was none of the nervousness he’d had when he first entered the room, or the self-righteous anger that took place during her questioning, or even the smugness that reared its head then and again when he made one of his sarcastic quips. He was just broken. Worn out. Everything about his body language was sadness, but when she looked into his eyes, the only thing she saw was fear. Fear of the Student Council President, this harsh insensitive girl who forced him to relive every unfounded insult cobbled up by his condescending peers. Fear of the judgmental, short-haired monster that was looking for a reason to get him kicked out of school and thrown in jail. Fear that she’d just go ahead and do it anyway if he crossed her.

“Please tell me that I can go.”

“Thank you for your time, Amamiya-Kun. We’re done here.”

“Thank you, Niijima-Senpai.”

Ren got up from his chair and slowly made his way out of the student council room. Makoto didn’t say anything more as he left. She listened for the sound of his footsteps as he trudged through the door and down the hall. Once she was sure he was gone, she got up and closed the door behind him. She looked at the notes she had been writing the whole time.

  * Seems to have a normal reaction to living in the city.
  * Does not have good relationship with guardian.
  * ADDENDUM: Better relationship with guardian than previously seemed?
  * Pet cat: Stray cat teachers were chasing?
  * Seems to be paranoid around authority figures. Believes police are monitoring him?
  * Aggressive when he feels challenged.
  * Protective of friends
  * Deflecting questions
  * **VERY. SMUG.**
  * Aware of gossip about him
  * Upset by it
  * Smugness a defense mechanism?
  * Has issues with Kamoshida.
  * Does not believe in Phantom Thieves.
  * ADDENDUM: VERY aware of rumors.



And that was where the notes ended. After that was his episode, and she had stopped recording anything. Makoto looked at her notes over and over. The way that whole interview ended, with him begging her to let him go after all that prideful defiance… It left a pit in her stomach. Maybe if she just focused on wrapping up her analysis, it’d go away.

She began to write more:

  * CONCLUSION: Ren Amamiya is



What? What was he? He was sad. Kind of lonely. Angry too. But was he always like this, or was this a result of his move to Tokyo? She didn’t feel good about any of this. It wasn’t that she thought any of these observations she’d written were incorrect, but she felt like she was missing context for this. Like there was this big X factor in Ren Amamiya's story that could make sense of everything, and she was completely lacking the means to figure it out. She had no idea how her sister did this kind of thing every day. People were a lot harder to study than textbooks. Makoto had all this data, but wasn’t sure how to interpret it. Ren Amamiya might very well be a danger to the student body, but in that interview, she found that he was hurting a lot. What if he was a danger to himself most of all? Was this the kind of person who would try and commit suicide? He had all of that sadness brewing inside of him, and Makoto forced it to rise to the surface. And then a new, horrifying thought crossed her mind:

_“What if he does something to himself because of this meeting!?”_

Makoto dashed out of the student council room.

_“Amamiya-Kun was moving so slowly, he might still be around the school!”_

She reached the stairs and began her descent.

_“He was so sad when he left! I need to apologize to him! I was so concerned with the welfare of the students I represent that I forgot he’s one of them! I have to let him know that not everyone at this school sees him as some worthless delinquent!”_

She reached the ground floor and ran towards the front door.

_“I’m the Student Council President! I’m supposed to look after all of my juniors! That includes you, Amamiya-Kun! So please, please, don’t do anything rash!”_

Makoto burst out the front door and looked around for any sign Ren Amamiya. She didn’t have to look for long. He was right by the school gate, talking to Ryuji Sakamoto. And they were laughing about something. That was odd. Just a few minutes ago, he looked like the walking dead. Now he was full of life?

_“Perhaps there’s a reason he spends time with Sakamoto-Kun. Maybe he’s not as bad as people say he is either.”_

Content to leave the boys be, Makoto made her way back up to the Student Council room. She calmly arranged all her materials from the Amamiya investigation into their file, including her new notes. Then she closed the file, picked it up, and dumped it in the trash can. The resulting “THUD” was incredibly satisfying. It felt like a weight had been lifted from Makoto’s heart.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading all the way through. If you think I misrepresented Makoto here, I don't want you to get the wrong idea: She's my favorite character in the game. That said, the first time I played through it, I had a very low opinion of her until she comes to the Phantom Thieves' side. I enjoy when fics about the developing relationship between Makoto and Akira that highlight their antagonistic relationship early on, so I wanted to take a crack at that kind of thing myself. I may do a sequel to this one day, but for now, it's a one-shot.
> 
> Edit: This story has been updated to use Ren's canon name. But I am keeping the Akira Kurusu tag.


End file.
